Trousers-guard



(No Model.)

J. A. TRAUT.

TROUSERS GUARD.

No. 478,772. Patented July 12,1892.

UNITED STATES 'rFrcE. v

PATENT TROUSERS-GUARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 478,772, dated July 12, 1892. 3

Application filed April 4, 1892. Serial No. 427,600- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J USTUS A. TRAUT, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clasps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clasps of the class used by bicycle-riders, the object being to furnish a flexible metallic trousers-clasp having a hook constructed to secure great strength and adapted to be readily clasped and unclasped.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part'of this specification, Figure 1 is an edge view of a closed clasp embodying my present improvements. Fig. 2 is aside view of the clasp as seen from the upper side of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of that end of the clasp-band which is provided with the hook. Fig. 4 is a sectional view in line a a, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view in line b b, Fig. 2.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures.

My improved clasp consists of a band or ribbon of metal (designated in a general way by B) and having at one end thereof a hook and at the other end thereof one or moreslots or openings for engaging the hook. The hook-provided end 2 of the band Bis usually furnished with a suitable thumb-piece, as 4, whereby to operate the same, and laps upon the outside of the slotted end 3 of said band, as will be understood by comparison of Figs. 1, 2, and 5. The slots, which are designated in a general way by 6, are shown of the form of a circular opening, as 5, having on the side thereof toward the end of the band a narrower extension 7, as more fully shown in Fig. 2. The hook, which is designated in a general way by H, is shown best in Figs. 3, 4:, and 5, and consists of a strip of metal 10, joined at the ends 10' 10 thereof Wit-h the body of the band, and having midway of the length thereof the lateral projections 8 8 for engaging under the lips 7' 7" at the sides of the aforesaid slotted extension 7, as will be understood by comparison of Figs. 2 and 5. The open space 9, Fig. 4., between the planes of the strip 10 and the end portion 2 of the band represents the space occupied by the opposite end 3 of the band when locked upon the hook, as shown in Figs. 1 and'5. I

In. using the clasp the end 2 thereof 18 brought over the slotted end 3 until the hook H comes to the proper opening 6, when the widened middle portion 8 8 of the hook is forced down through the opening 5, and then slid under the metal lips 7' and 7" at the sides of the slot extension 7. When a strain is brought on the hook, this is brought against the metal at the end of the slot extension 7, thereby bringing a tension upon the metal at the j uncture 10" of the hook with the band portion 2 and an opposite action upon the opposite juncture 10 of the hook with said band portion 2. This construction and mode of action secures great strength of the parts without requiring the use of thick or rigid bands, so that a thin and perfectly-elastic clasp may be used without the hook being so weak as to yield under the stress usually brought upon it.

In making the clasp the openings 6 may be cut out by means of a correspondingly-shaped punch and die after the usual manner of per forating sheet metal. The hook H is made by making in the clasp end 2 the two oppositelydisposed cuts indicated by the solid lines 11 and 11, Fig. 3, the metal between said cuts being forced outwardly from the plane of the clasp end 2, as indicated in Fig. 4:, to form the hook H, which is connected, as hereinbefore set forth, at each end thereof with the body of the band.

Having thus described my invention, I claim The improved clasp herein described, consisting of aband of metal having in one end thereof one or more hook-engaging slots, substantially as described, and having at its other end a hook consisting of a strip extending longitudinally of and out and struck down from the band and connected at each end thereof with the body of the band and having on the middle portion thereof one or more lateral projections adapted to engage in said slots, substantially as described.

JUSTUS A. TRAUT.

W'itnesses:

FRANCIS H. RICHARDS, HENRY L. RECKARD. 

